<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>The Small Things by LeaderPinhead</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25055140">The Small Things</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeaderPinhead/pseuds/LeaderPinhead'>LeaderPinhead</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Enomoto's Route [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Collar x Malice (Visual Novel)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Post-Canon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 00:28:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,798</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25055140</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeaderPinhead/pseuds/LeaderPinhead</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ichika's birthday is two days away, and Mineo is looking to find the perfect gift for her. Kazuki has no idea why that has to involve him, especially since he can't figure out what to get his sister either.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Enomoto Mineo/Hoshino Ichika</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Enomoto's Route [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1814695</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Small Things</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kazuki liked Mineo Enomoto. Even he acknowledged how miraculous that feat was. The list of people he liked had always been embarrassingly short. Classmates would come and go, but Akito had managed to become his best friend. Isshiki had been an untouchable idol to him, but over the past two years, the older man had become his bandmate and an irreplaceable friend. Even Ichika for a while had been omitted from the list, his anger and jealousy leaving dark ruts in her name, but he had been able to mend that relationship. It embarrassed him now to think he had almost lost his sister, especially when he looked into the crowd and managed to find her grinning face every time he took the stage. She had taken up a friendly rivalry with Akito involving who was his biggest fan, and he always had to break them apart with an angry hiss became embarrassingly involved with voicing their support.</p><p>All that being said, Kazuki was still left speechless by the older man prostrating himself in the entrance of the apartment he shared with Akito. What Mineo energetically shouted at the ground was lost in the funnel of embarrassment in his ear that turned every sound into an annoying whistle. He could vaguely hear Akito chuckling behind him, and normally, he found Mineo’s mannerisms the subject of amusement too…when they were directed towards his sister. Even after months of dating, she still had a hard time handling her boyfriend’s more eccentric behavior at times. With Ichika’s embarrassment to focus on, it was easier for Kazuki to make the transition to amusement.</p><p>Ichika was not here to deflect onto, and Akito’s chuckles were becoming wheezier in nature. Mineo was still spouting off at the floor, something about honoring his sister and seeking approval and some other embarrassingly aged phrases that made Kazuki’s ears burn. He almost felt sorry for his father, who had suffered through Mineo’s good-natured request to marry to his sister months ago.</p><p>(But not in the immediate future, he had stuttered, they had only been dating for four months after all, but he had the genuine intention of marrying Ichika and starting a family when she was ready, and he just wanted her father to be aware that there was no nefarious plans behind their dating. Kazuki had suffered so much second-hand embarrassment from the ordeal that telling his father his plans to pursue music instead of taking over the family business had been a blessed transition of topic for the three of them.)   </p><p>Something about children filtered through the funnel of embarrassment, and Kazuki finally snapped. “Shut up, idiot!”</p><p>Mineo snapped off the floor, his eyes popped open so wide that Kazuki could actually see a sliver of the eye the man kept hidden under his eyepatch. Akito snorted, and Kazuki ground his molars together. Mineo blinked and pouted as he slowly stood. “I knew introducing you to Takeru was a mistake. He’s a bad influence on young people.”</p><p>Kazuki scowled at the mention of the blue haired man. Ichika had insisted on him joining them for dinner one day, and the caustic manner in which the older man spoke had rubbed him the wrong way. Mineo had puffed up like a proud father when Kazuki had snapped at some demeaning comment the man had directed at his sister. Sasazuka seemed to take that as a challenge and showed up whenever Ichika invited him and another man, Yanagi, to the occasional dinner or night out drinking. It rankled Kazuki that Akito actually liked Sasazuka, engaging in conversation about computers with the man. He and Mineo formed an unshakable alliance on those nights, glaring down every small remark Sasazuka made.</p><p>“Whatever,” Kazuki snapped. He gestured at the pair of slippers he left at the door specifically for Mineo and turned to the living room without waiting for him. “What do you want? Akito and I are leaving for practice soon.”</p><p>Akito swiped at the corner of his eye and disappeared into his bedroom with a small wave. Kazuki sat at the low table in the center of the room.  Mineo’s slippers slapped against the hard floor as he joined him. Kazuki quirked a brow at the stiff posture Mineo adopted.</p><p>Though bizarre in nature, Kazuki rarely forgot the man worked as a cop in Field Ops. He still harbored a small animosity towards the cops, doused only by Isshiki’s growing trust in Mineo and Ichika, but Kazuki was still impressed by Mineo’s work. The man didn’t brag, per say, but there was always a new story on the latest perp he had cuffed or amusing anecdote involving his team. It was almost a relief to hear the small, everyday things he and Ichika experienced, especially after the nightmare of Adonis the previous year. Kazuki swallowed at the memory of Hana aiming her gun at him. It was the first instance he had experienced genuine panic, squeezing his lungs as he imagined the burning pain of those bullets piercing him or, worse, the thought of seeing <em>Ichika</em> covered in red because of a deranged groupie. Anger and jealousy had been swept away by regret at the thought of either of them dying when the last thing he said to her was how much of a pain she was.</p><p>Kazuki sighed, and the silence between them stretched for an awkward moment. Kazuki cocked his head, and Mineo reacted to the movement, stiffening and visibly swallowing. “Now, tell me what you want.” Mineo opened his mouth, but Kazuki cut him off with a sharp gesture. “Like a <em>normal</em> person.”</p><p>Mineo pouted but dug his paper fan out of his pocket and placed it on the table between them. Kazuki had no idea when it started, but the simple gesture had been adopted as a sign that Mineo would curb his usually grandiose expressions. Maybe it was something Mineo had started himself, recognizing the fan as a small crutch he pulled out when his embarrassment hit him hardest. Maybe it was because Ichika had tossed the fan out the window one day when Mineo wouldn’t stop waving it during one of their rare (<em>real</em>) arguments. More than likely, it had spawned from a comment made by Sasazuka when the two men had become just drunk enough to loosen their tongues more than usual. Either way, Mineo tabling his fan told Kazuki he was about to hear a very serious Mineo.</p><p>Mineo clapped his hands on his knees and slightly bowed his head. “I need your help, Kazuki.”</p><p>Kazuki blinked and frowned. When Mineo didn’t immediately continue, he lightly coughed into his fist and focused on the lamp in the corner of the room. “All right.”</p><p>He glanced back in time to watch Mineo’s shoulders visibly slump. He pumped a fist into the air with a light, “Yush!” The grin he directed at Kazuki was so bright that he almost felt like he needed to reach over and pat the older man on the head to calm him like a parent would do for a child. Now he understood why he saw Ichika do the same from time to time when Mineo grew too excited. He leaned back on his hands and sighed when Mineo continued. “Are you free tomorrow? We can do some shopping during my lunch break.”</p><p>Kazuki blinked. “Huh?”</p><p>“We can meet up at the station.” Kazuki blinked again, and he could have sworn Mineo’s teeth twinkled like in the anime he had watched when he was younger. “With us working together, we’ll find the perfect gift in no time!”</p><p>“Huh?” Kazuki felt like a broken record, but it was the only sound he could muster.</p><p>Mineo enthusiastically nodded and muttered a few words under his breath too quick for Kazuki to catch. He pounded a fist on the table, making Kazuki twitch, and jumped to his feet. He gave Kazuki a thumbs up, and his grin definitely twinkled this time. Kazuki blinked and briefly wondered what toothpaste the man used to make such an effect. “Shinjuku Station: one o’clock. Ahhh, Ichika won’t know how to react when we find her the perfect gift!”</p><p>Mineo’s enthusiasm was almost too much for Kazuki to handle. Mineo barely gave him time to climb to his feet before he received a brief hug, and Mineo flew out the room. Kazuki blinked as the front door slammed shut and rubbed his neck where the man had squeezed him. He blinked a final time and scowled at the empty room. “He’s too handsy.”</p><p>Akito laughed as he peeked out of his room. “But you like him anyway.”</p><p>Kazuki huffed and turned his head to hide a small smile from Akito. “Ichika could do worse. Like the sea urchin.”</p><p>“Sasazuka isn’t that bad when you really talk to him.” Kazuki huffed and sat at the table again, crossing his legs and leaning his elbow against the table. Akito shortly joined him with a small grin. “It’s a little sweet that your sister’s boyfriend values your opinion so much.”</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>“Well, why else would he come clear across town just to ask for your help? He has your number after all.”</p><p>“Mineo is just weird like that.”</p><p>Akito continued to smile, and Kazuki huffed, turning his head to glare out the window and hide the heat he felt rising in his face. “I think it’s more than just that. He’s really putting a lot of thought into your sister’s birthday. I know married couples who don’t care that much about their significant others.”</p><p>Kazuki scowled and opened his mouth to respond before his lungs froze. He squeaked a little as he forced air up through his throat. He slapped a hand against his forehead and refused to look at Akito when his friend voiced his concern. “Shit. I completely forget about Ichika’s birthday.”  </p><p>“But you just agreed to help Enomoto find her a birthday gift.”</p><p>“I didn’t realize that’s what he was saying! I thought he was going on about one of those stupid monthly anniversaries he thinks is so important.”</p><p>He thought Akito could have been a better friend and not burst into a fit of laughter.</p><p>
  <strong>~~~</strong>
</p><p>Mineo stood out in the crowd of Shinjuku Station, his long reddish hair, tall stature, and odd clothing making him a beacon amongst the salary men and office women on their lunch breaks. Kazuki rubbed an ear and adjusted the cap he wore. The music store he worked at to supplement his income was only a five-minute walk to the meeting place he had texted to Mineo earlier that morning. He would have insisted meeting at the store, but the girl he worked with wouldn’t shut up after the one-time Mineo met him there for lunch. Something about hearing other girls gush over his sister’s boyfriend didn’t sit well with him, more so because he felt the insane urge to protect Mineo. Ichika would be fine fending off other women; Mineo acted like women were foreign creatures that would poison him on contact.</p><p>Thus, Kazuki had to protect Mineo from the vulture-like behavior of his coworker before some embarrassing misunderstanding occurred.</p><p>He paused a short distance away when he noticed Mineo tapping away on his phone. That sappy grin was dominating his features, and Kazuki instantly knew who was messaging on the other end. Odd and a little outdated in Kazuki’s opinion, Mineo was no doubt a solid match for his sister. They bounced off of each other perfectly: Ichika kept Mineo in line when he became too passionate while Mineo kept Ichika from retreating too far into her own head. They would never tell him the full extent of their involvement when it came to stopping Adonis, but he was glad something good came out of those months of unrest.</p><p>He would disown Ichika again if she broke up with this sappy, eccentric man.</p><p>Kazuki waited another full minute for Mineo to pocket his phone before making his presence known. “Yo.”</p><p>Mineo grinned at him and jogged the short distance to meet him. “Yo, Kazuki! Ready to find Ichika’s perfect birthday surprise?”</p><p>Kazuki hummed and rubbed the back of his neck. Mineo’s enthusiasm made the tips of his ears burn. “Ichika doesn’t care much for gifts. You can just get her a cake, and she’d be happy.”</p><p>Mineo gasped, and the stricken expression, made comical by his use of only one eye, would have made anyone else think Kazuki had just suggested resurrecting Adonis. “I can’t just get her a store-bought cake! Ichika’s cakes are ten times better than that. It would be an insult to her cooking skills! Besides,” Mineo’s face took on a slight blush, and his voice dropped, “she put a lot of thought into my birthday present, and I want to do the same.”</p><p>Kazuki sighed. From what Kazuki could remember, Ichika had just made Mineo dinner on his birthday. He hadn’t been present, choosing to stick to his room that night, but he had suffered the loud excited cries of Mineo gushing over everything Ichika had cooked all the same. He had also suffered Mineo’s embarrassment of being caught trying to sneak out the morning after and endured Mineo’s insistent cries that he had not “dishonored” his sister, all while Ichika giggled and blushed like a schoolgirl from the doorway of her room. That was also the day Kazuki had talked Akito into becoming his roommate and moving out as soon as he was financially dependent enough to.</p><p>“All right,” Kazuki said. He checked his watch, found that their hour had slipped into forty-five minutes, and gestured at the nearby shops. “Where do you want to start?”</p><p>Mineo blinked, and the blush vanished. He made a thoughtful sound and glanced around the crowded street. The sheepish grin he directed back to Kazuki made the younger man sigh. “Ah, well…do you have any ideas?”</p><p>Kazuki shrugged and started walking. Mineo easily kept pace with him. “Like I said, Ichika doesn’t care much for gifts. She’s better at taking care of others than having them take care of her. Simple things make her happy.”</p><p>Mineo hummed and grumbled under his breath. “I almost wished Shiraishi was still around. He could at least give me a hint.”</p><p>Kazuki didn’t respond. He never responded when Mineo’s mumblings made no sense. A flashy sign caught his attention, and he pointed at a nearby store. “She likes cute things.”</p><p>Mineo nodded, and a small frown crossed his face. It was his serious expression, or at least what Kazuki considered his serious expression. It was the closest expression he had seen to match the one Mineo had when facing Hana nearly a year ago. It just lacked the black anger that sent a chill down Kazuki’s spine just remembering. “Right. Let’s check it out.”</p><p>Kazuki nodded and led the way to the shop. He was buffeted by a wall of sickly-sweet perfume, and the happy chiming bell that greeted him grated his nerves nearly as much as the squeaky singing that pierced his ears. He clenched his jaw and blocked out the airheaded lyrics. He tried to focus on the clothes and other merchandise in the cramped space, but the bright colors made everything blend together into one conglomeration of glitter and pastels. He blinked. “Cute” had never hurt his eyes so much.</p><p>“Kazuki…”</p><p>“Hello~!”</p><p>Kazuki jumped at the high-pitched voice. His gut clenched, and a cold sweat broke out across his forehead. A hand clapped his shoulder. Kazuki swallowed and blinked away the blur of colors his vision had become. When his vision focused, the tension in his body increased in response to the smiling woman who greeted them. She wore the same contacts a lot of their groupies wore to make their pupils different shapes, big hearts being in the center of hers. The bunny-eared hoodie she wore bounced with each step she took. The hand on his shoulder squeezed, but he remained facing forward for fear of catching a matching look of surprise and discomfort on Mineo’s face.</p><p>The woman grinned, seeming to miss or flat-out ignore their tense postures, and made a cute pose with her hands folded to resemble paws. “We don’t get many men in here. You must be looking for something <em>special~</em>.”</p><p>Kazuki felt the prickle of heat traveling down his neck, and his voice caught in his throat. He was used to handling girls like this. Isshiki had taught him early on not to be overwhelmed by the more enthusiastic fans, and Kazuki had adopted the way Isshiki had handled Hana: firm and collected.</p><p>This wasn’t a fan—this wasn’t one of their venues. And somehow that made his voice crack as embarrassingly as Mineo’s when Ichika did something too girly. “Uh…birthday present.”</p><p>The woman leaned closer, and Kazuki took an instinctive step back. Mineo grunted as he stepped onto the older man’s foot. “A birthday present? Oh! I see~! Is it for your girlfriend?”</p><p>The pout made Kazuki glare at his feet. His swung back an elbow and caught Mineo under the ribcage. Mineo yelped, but it had the desired effect of making the older man speak. “Ah, yes! My girlfriend! Ichika is…my girlfriend.”</p><p>The woman clapped enthusiastically and gushed over Mineo’s stammering affirmation. With her attention directed elsewhere, Kazuki took a deep breath and gradually reigned in his nerves. There was no reason for him to have had such a strong reaction. He silently reiterated that most of the band’s groupies acted and dressed the same. They had the same contacts; they dressed the same in cute, outlandish outfits. They liked to speak in high-pitched voices in a language that was Japanese but at the same time <em>not</em> Japanese. They <em>didn’t</em> go around swinging guns and spouting insane nonsense.</p><p>“Eh! Kazuki! Look!”</p><p>Kazuki turned his head in time to find a cat charm dangling in front of his face. He blinked at the grinning cat and flicked it with his finger. “It looks creepy.”</p><p>“What!” Mineo snapped back and dangled the charm in front of his own nose. Kazuki noticed the phone strap attached to the charm. “It’s not creepy! It looks a little cute. Do you think Ichika would like it?”</p><p>Kazuki shrugged, remembering the mascot charm Ichika had dangled from her phone since entering the police force. “Beats me.”</p><p>“Kazuki!”</p><p>Kazuki ignored the whine and glanced around the shop again. Now that he had regained his composure, the loud colors and strange designs weren’t as overwhelming. He shook his head at the way he had reacted. If anything, a shop like this should have felt more normal to him than the business suits on the streets. That being said, <em>nothing </em>in the store seemed like anything his sister would be caught dead in. Ichika liked cute things but not to this extreme. “Let’s go somewhere else.”</p><p>“Eh?” Mineo returned the charm to the display he had found and picked up another charm. This one was a bear holding a heart. “The store clerk said she had the perfect gift set though.”</p><p>“Don’t care. Let’s go.”</p><p>“Eh! But isn’t it rude to just—”</p><p>“Ta da~!”</p><p>Kazuki jumped for a second time at the high-pitched voice. He directed a glare at the grinning store clerk. Even with the bell attacked to the collar around her neck, she was too quiet and sneaky for his tastes. “We don’t—”</p><p>“This is our number one top seller!” She thrust the hanger into Kazuki’s hands and lifted a finger to her lips. She winked at him. “But we only advertise it to special couples~.”</p><p>Kazuki grunted and swung the hanger away from him. His eyes registered the headband first with fluffy black cat ears and overly complicated bow dangling off the side. He quickly realized that the bow contributed the most fabric to the remainder of the “outfit” and thrust the hanger back at the woman. She gasped in surprise and grabbed the hanger before it connected with her nose. Kazuki could care less about the disgruntled scowl she gave him and twisted back to Mineo. “Mineo—”</p><p>His teeth clenched when realized he was alone in the store. The woman whined behind him, but that didn’t stop him from practically sprinting out the store to catch his wayward companion. He barely felt the heat of the sun on his face as he scanned the sidewalk. Spotting Mineo crouched beside a bench nearby, he stomped towards the man, collecting his burning embarrassment into ball of heated anger. “<em>Mineo</em>.”</p><p>Kazuki jerked back at the high-pitched sound that escaped Mineo. He watched Mineo repeatedly rub his palms over his eyes, and he picked out a few words from Mineo’s stuttered mumblings. “…already too cute…wouldn’t be appropriate…barely even kissed!”</p><p>Kazuki rubbed the back of his neck and glanced away. His own anger fizzled out knowing that Mineo clearly felt more embarrassed by the lingerie. He doubted Mineo would have even agreed to stick around if he had realized what the woman had gone to grab. Though, Kazuki couldn’t help but feel that Mineo should get over things like that. Kazuki may not have wanted to think of things like that when it involved his sister, but he was still a <em>guy</em>. If Mineo was that serious about Ichika, that <em>outcome</em> would be inevitable. At this rate, Ichika would dump him for someone who didn’t freak out at the mere thought of a kiss.</p><p>“Who broke the idiot this time?”</p><p>Kazuki glanced over his shoulder and found Sasazuka standing behind him. Sasazuka had his arms crossed and was glaring at the crouching Mineo. “Did the stupid cat finally wise up and dump him?”</p><p>Kazuki didn’t have a chance to reply. A blur of red flew past him and attached itself to Sasazuka. Sasazuka’s eyes popped open, the red of his irises lightening a shade in surprise. Mineo gripped Sasazuka’s shoulders and bowed his head. “Takeru! I need your help. Ichika’s birthday is only two days away, and I can’t buy her lingerie as a present!”</p><p>The surprise in Sasazuka’s face transitioned into a blank expression so quickly that Kazuki briefly wondered if Mineo’s desperate and outlandish plea had broken something inside Sasazuka’s brain. “Huh?”</p><p>“Ichika’s birthday. I can’t get her a cat headband and tail no matter how cute it would make her look.” Mineo’s face turned a bright red, and he slapped his hands over his cheek. “I can’t stop thinking about it now!”</p><p>Sasazuka continued to stare at him, and Kazuki could have sworn he heard him mutter, “You really <em>are</em> an idiot.”</p><p>That didn’t stop Mineo from dropping to his knees and bringing his forehead to the ground. Kazuki groaned, and Sasazuka tilted his head back in a tired sigh. Mineo’s impassioned plea caught the attention of a few people walking past them. “Takeru! I will do anything you want for your help. I’ll be your handservant again, or pay for you mobile games, or buy you a month’s supply of donuts!”</p><p>Kazuki blinked at the mention of being a handservant (<em>again?</em>), but Sasazuka’s eyes only lit up at the mention of donuts. A wide grin spread across his face. “Are you that desperate to find a gift? I thought it would be obvious what the dumb cat wanted.”</p><p>Kazuki shook his head as Mineo’s head popped up from the sidewalk. He sighed and knew by the stretch of Sasazuka’s grin that his gullible friend had been caught. “Wha? You know what Ichika wants for her birthday?”</p><p>“I want two dozen donuts in payment first.” Sasazuka frowned at the choking gasp Mineo emitted. “What? My services aren’t cheap.” Mineo mumbled something too low for Kazuki to hear, but it made Sasazuka roll his eyes. “It’s your fault for waiting until the last minute. You don’t get discounts for being an idiot.”</p><p>Mineo bowed his head in defeat, and Kazuki glanced at his watch. He sighed, gaining the attention of both men. “My lunch break is almost over. See ya later, Mineo.”</p><p>Mineo hopped to his feet with a fluid motion that reminded Kazuki of his job in Field Ops. “Ah! Thanks for the help, Kazuki!”</p><p>Kazuki shook his head with a frown. “I didn’t help any.”</p><p> Mineo shot him a genuine grin. “We might not have found anything, but at least I know where <em>not</em> to look now.”</p><p>“Oi, idiot, my time is limited. Donuts. Now.”</p><p>Mineo’s grin twitched with a slight wince, but he jogged to catch up with Sasazuka, who had started walking without a word. Kazuki couldn’t help but notice the contrast between the two men, Sasazuka’s short, slight stature and blue hair the complete opposite of Mineo’s height, muscle, and red hair. They disappeared into the crowd though Kazuki heard Mineo’s passionate voice even from a distance. He shrugged and took his time returning to the music store. He only felt slightly sorry for whatever Sasazuka planned to put Mineo through.</p><p>But he still needed to find a gift for his sister too.</p><p>
  <strong>~~~</strong>
</p><p>“Let’s call it a night.”</p><p>Kazuki sighed in relief at Isshiki’s soft voice. Normally, he would insist on continuing until the tips of his fingers grew too numb to strum the strings of his guitar. He felt off tonight, the familiar rhythm of the music evading him. He still played well, and no one had made a comment, but Kazuki couldn’t help but feel that everything was…<em>off</em>.</p><p>It had started that afternoon when he had left Mineo and Sasazuka. Even his coworker had commented about him spacing out through the rest of his shift. Then Akito had asked if anything was wrong while they walked over to the studio. Isshiki had said nothing, but Kazuki had felt Isshiki’s gaze on him more than once throughout the two-hour session they had scheduled. It bothered Kazuki more to know that others had noticed than to recognize the distraction himself.</p><p>All because he couldn’t stop thinking about Ichika’s birthday.</p><p>He blamed Enomoto for this, demoting the man back to a last name basis in his mind. If Enomoto hadn’t been enthusiastic about finding Ichika the “perfect” present, Kazuki wouldn’t have thought twice about his own gift. He would have bought her a phone strap from a capsule machine because he knew she’d give him a goofy grin no matter what he got her. Heck, just showing up to dinner tomorrow would be enough for her. On her last birthday, he had purposefully stayed out late and returned well after he thought she was asleep to avoid celebrating her birthday.</p><p>The thought made him jerk the zipper on his guitar bag. How long had it been since he gave his sister a gift? Sometime around when he first moved in with her? Ten months ago, he wouldn’t have even flinched at the thought. Now it felt like someone had sucker punched him in the gut.</p><p>“Kazuki?”</p><p>Kazuki slightly jumped at the soft voice and frowned up at Isshiki from where he crouched beside his guitar. Isshiki fiddled with a strand of his pink hair. The soft concern Kazuki found in the other man’s face made him flick his eyes away in embarrassment. “Sorry. I’m just feeling…off tonight.”</p><p>Isshiki didn’t immediately respond, not that Kazuki expected him to. If there was one thing he had learned about Isshiki shortly after their first meeting, it was that Isshiki put serious thought into everything he said and did. Nothing passed his lips unless he meant every word. It was the same with his music. Every one of Isshiki’s songs carried with it a meaning if the audience was willing to listen.</p><p>“Akito mentioned your sister’s birthday was tomorrow.” Kazuki’s head snapped upright. Isshiki smiled down at him, still twirling the strand of hair between his fingers. “He found Enomoto’s plea for your help amusing.”</p><p>Kazuki couldn’t help but snort. He zipped his guitar bag closed and stood. “Yeah, Mineo was being as dramatic as always.”</p><p>Isshiki chuckled. He fell silent again until Kazuki had his guitar strapped to his back. Isshiki hummed lightly. “Akito was the one who first mentioned you had a sister.”</p><p>Kazuki winced. Nothing in Isshiki’s tone came across as accusatory, but Kazuki still remembered the surprise from the night Isshiki and Ichika met. Kazuki had gone so far to omit Ichika out of his life that he hadn’t even bothered to mention her to Isshiki. They had been two completely separate parts of his life at the time and crossing them had seemed impossible.</p><p>“Don’t take this the wrong way,” Isshiki said, “but did you plan on missing her birthday again?”</p><p>Kazuki almost wished Isshiki sounded anything other than his calm and soft-spoken self. It was almost worse than having someone lecture him. He glanced away and caught Akito standing off to the side. He sighed as his friend smiled at them. “No. She actually invited me over to dinner.”  </p><p>“Good.” Isshiki paused once more. “Then, do you mind if I ask what has you distracted?”</p><p>Of course, Isshiki would have noticed. He had just been too polite to mention it during the session. Having his own personal issues brought to light was embarrassing, but had he really expected Isshiki to just dismiss it? The older man was sensitive to just about everything, especially anything that interfered with their music.</p><p>Kazuki thought for a moment to just dismiss Isshiki’s concerns. In the grand scheme of things, his issue wasn’t that big of a deal. He wasn’t like Enomoto, stumbling over himself to please Ichika. So why didn’t he just grab a capsule toy and pat himself on the back for getting his sister anything at all?</p><p>Kazuki sighed, and despite his warming face, he said, “I can’t figure out what to get Ichika for her birthday.”</p><p>Isshiki’s eyes widened slightly, and Kazuki almost felt insulted by the surprise he interpreted behind his friend’s gaze. He wasn’t <em>that</em> unapproachable when it came to his problems. The surprise quickly morphed into a small smile, and Isshiki chuckled. “Akito and I were almost worried something had happened between you two again.”</p><p>Kazuki scowled. He didn’t know how he felt about Akito being so concerned about his relationship with Ichika, and he definitely didn’t know how to react now that Isshiki was apparently in the same boat. He and Ichika were getting along <em>fine</em>. He only got a little heated when Ichika tried to act like she knew more about music than she let on. Her musical illiteracy was really the only thing that bugged him nowadays.</p><p>Isshiki chuckled a little louder. “Don’t scowl like that! You and your sister both have a temper when you want to.” Kazuki scowled even more, and he swore he heard Akito chuckle from a distance. Isshiki hummed with a soft smile. “That being said, I don’t have siblings myself, so I’m not sure how my advice may sound. But I’ve seen from watching others that siblings often have a bond that only they can experience.” His smile slipped, and Kazuki thought his eyes flicked to Akito for a second before focusing on Kazuki again. “They may go through periods of time where they feel worlds apart, but in the end, they understand each other more than anyone else.” Isshiki smiled once more, perhaps in response to Kazuki’s continued scowl. “You’ll figure out the best gift for you sister.”</p><p>“That was the best worst advice I have ever heard from you.”</p><p>Kazuki’s scowl slipped away as both Isshiki and Akito filled the small studio with laughter. When Isshiki’s laughter died down to a soft chuckle, he said, “You’re both more similar than you think, so why don’t you try thinking about it from that perspective? I think all you really want is to make sure your sister is happy.”</p><p>Isshiki said his farewells shortly after and left Akito and Kazuki to walk the short distance back to their apartment alone. Akito hummed to himself most of the way, allowing Kazuki a moment to think to himself. He wasn’t really sure what Isshiki had meant, how he and Ichika were similar, but he couldn’t deny wanting her to be happy. Wasn’t that why he was contemplating so hard on her gift? Mineo wanted to find Ichika the perfect gift for the same reason.</p><p>Kazuki just had to figure out what would make Ichika happy.</p><p>
  <strong>~~~</strong>
</p><p>Ichika threw open the door without asking who rang the intercom. Kazuki returned her grin with a scowl. “You’re too trusting.”</p><p>Ichika’s grin morphed into a pout. Kazuki shuffled past her and toed off his shoes. “Kazuki! You still have a key. You don’t have to ring the intercom to come in.”</p><p>Kazuki shook his head and slipped into a pair of slippers. Another pair of shoes was already lined against the wall, and he recognized the brand and size as Mineo’s. “It’s weird to enter an apartment you don’t live in without permission.”</p><p>He also didn’t want to risk walking in on something he shouldn’t, but he was starting to believe Ichika was too naïve to understand that. She still told him he could sleep over if anything happened between him and Akito. What she expected to happen, he had absolutely no idea. Akito only gave him an indulgent grin when he complained about her persistence. He was nineteen now and didn’t need his older sister looking out for him.</p><p>Ichika left him at the door to shrug out of his jacket after balancing his guitar against the wall. “Mineo’s already here, so you can join him in the living room. Dinner should be ready shortly.”</p><p>Kazuki frowned and threw his jacket on a nearby hook. He tucked his gift under his arm and bypassed his old room and the kitchen into the living room. He glanced around, finding nothing had changed in the three months he had moved out. Ichika still kept the place clean and organized, even the small pile of CDs he had reluctantly given her of each song the band completed. He didn’t see any hint of Mineo. He frowned at the man casually sitting at the table, chin balanced in one hand as he watched the tv on low volume. He should have known better than to believe Mineo would take the hint as a clear sign to move his relationship with Ichika to the next level. If Ichika was naïve, then Mineo was just dense.</p><p>As if sensing his stare, Mineo glanced up and grinned. Kazuki sighed and slumped at the table beside him, dropping his gift on the table. “Ah, Kazuki! Did you come here straight after practice? I can’t wait for the next concert! You guys are still shooting for the end of the month, right?”</p><p>Kazuki blinked at the two eyes staring back at him. The eyepatch had become such a normal feature on the older man, that Kazuki sometimes forgot it was all for show. He still remembered the enthusiastic explanation Mineo gave him, and the passionate tangent he had gone on afterwards about Japanese history. At the time, Kazuki couldn’t remember the last time he had laughed so hard to the point of tears, Mineo’s disgruntled protests doing nothing to curb his laughter. He had been fair though and traded Mineo’s honest passion with his own, delving into the depth of Isshiki’s lyrics and the intricacies Akito’s compositions.</p><p>Mineo waved a hand in front of his face, and Kazuki realized he had taken too long to answer. “You all right? Ichika said you guys have been practicing more lately.”</p><p>Kazuki scowled at the concern plainly displayed on Mineo’s face, but a part of his warmed at the acknowledgement of Ichika remembering his schedule. A year ago, he would have never thought to confide in his sister about his passion. A year ago, he would have never believed she cared enough to cheer for him in a crowd. Now he couldn’t go a day without Ichika texting him about when tickets for his how would be available or to wish him luck before a practice session. It made him want to push himself even harder than he had before.</p><p>“I’m fine,” Kazuki answered. He waved his hand and ignored the dishes clanking in the kitchen. “Did you decide it was easier to use two eyes again?”</p><p>Mineo scowled, though Kazuki found the man’s scowl always looked more like a pout. “Why does everyone think they have to comment about it? First Satake, then Yanagi, and then Takeru. Okazaki even asked if I was sick! I don’t need a reason to take off my eyepatch. I definitely don’t have be dying or have a brain tumor!”</p><p>Mineo directed his attention back to the tv, making Kazuki blink. The silence stretched until Kazuki decided to peek into the kitchen, unable to comprehend dealing with an angered Mineo. He grabbed his gift and made his way into the kitchen. Ichika stood over the stove, stirring a pot. She glanced up and smiled when he made a slight noise. With a quick glance over her shoulder, she leaned closer and cupped her hand around her mouth. “You mentioned the eyepatch too, huh?”</p><p>Kazuki blinked and snorted at the giggle that followed her hushed question. “Did he not think anyone would notice?”</p><p>“I think a part of him hoped no one would.” Ichika grabbed a strainer and placed it in the sink. “This should be done in a few minutes. I wanted to try a simple recipe from the book Yanagi got me for my birthday.”</p><p>She gestured at the book propped open on the counter nearby. Kazuki glanced over the picture of an udon dish and shrugged. “I thought Mineo would try cooking for you since it’s your birthday.”</p><p>“He tried, but I wanted to do this.” Ichika shrugged with a smile. “He took me out for lunch instead, and we had pudding for dessert.”</p><p>Kazuki didn’t think that sounded very special, but from the grin and slight blush on Ichika’s cheeks, the whole ordeal had completely made her day. Simple things made his sister happy, he mused with a slight snort. The paper hiding the gift in his hand crinkled. Simple things made her hurt too, like ignoring a well-intentioned question or leaving without telling her.</p><p>Without much more thought, Kazuki thrust the gift under her nose. He glared at a dish towel hanging from the counter and retracted his hand as soon as Ichika took the gift. “Happy birthday.”  </p><p>“Oh, Kazuki, thank—”</p><p>Kazuki left the kitchen without hearing her thanks. He collapsed on the floor next to Mineo, gaining Mineo’s attention once more. Kazuki glared at the tv. “Did you ever get my sister a gift?”</p><p>“Um…” He peeked at Mineo and found the older looking everywhere in the room except him. “Yeah.”</p><p>Kazuki frowned when Mineo didn’t elaborate. “And?”</p><p>“I should have never bought that cyber-seaweed his donuts.”</p><p>Kazuki blinked before laughing at the childish pout Mineo adopted. “I told you simple things make her happy.”</p><p>“Yeah, well, Takeru said the same thing. I had to breakdown and ask Yanagi for ideas, but he just said…” Mineo trailed off and pursed his lips. He straightened his posture and slammed a palm against the table. “I’m going to show Ichika just how important she is to me!”</p><p>Kazuki blinked. When Mineo glanced at him, he shook his head and turned to the tv. “I wonder sometimes if you and Ichika actually comprehend what you say.”</p><p>“Eh!” Mineo choked beside him, but Kazuki only grabbed the remote and changed the channel. “What’s that supposed to mean? I put a lot of thought into this!”</p><p>“It’s not something your girlfriend’s little brother wants to hear.” Kazuki patiently waited the silent minute it took for Mineo to understand. A gargling choke let him know the meaning of his words had sunk in. “Just… take care of her. Simple things make her happy, but simple things hurt her too.”</p><p>Mineo fell silent beside him. Kazuki clicked through a few more channels before Mineo spoke. “Ichika’s happiness is the most important thing to me now.”</p><p>Kazuki nodded once. He landed on a channel just as Ichika’s voice drifted from the kitchen. Mineo jumped up to help her carry the dishes to the table, but Kazuki stayed on the floor out of their way. Ichika smiled widely at Kazuki when Mineo took the bowls from her hands. One hand lifted and slightly tugged on the lacy scarf he had spent all day drifting from shop to shop searching for.  Kazuki returned her smile with a small one of his own before turning back to the tv.</p><p>Small things made Ichika happy, and he knew that because it was the small things that made him happy too.  </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Collar x Malice just came out on the Nintendo Switch, and I've been binge playing it all week. I still love Shiraishi's route the most (and it's the number one reason I can't wait for Unlimited to be released in August), but Enomoto's route has to be my second favorite, mainly because I think he's just adorkable. It's also the route I like the most in terms of Ichika and Kazuki's relationship, so that's what mainly spawned this shortly after I replayed the route. In general, I wanted to play with some of the characters, like Enomoto and Isshiki, but also wanted to write something from Kazuki's perspective. Because as much as I love main characters, I also love these side characters. Collar x Malice is still the only visual novel I've read that makes me feel so much for the side characters other than "oh, yeah, she/he's there for one second to move the plot forward."</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>